Search-and-rescue drones took to the skies for wide-area reconnaissance, tracked unmanned vehicles advanced to transport the injured, triage operations quickly got underway inside field medical tents, and critically injured personnel were swiftly evacuated to a medical train.

On Saturday, the China-Laos "Peace Train-2026" joint humanitarian medical rescue exercise, held in Lao capital Vientiane, entered its full-process drill phase. A realistic rescue operation unfolded in an intense yet orderly manner.

"Commanders of the Chinese and Lao medical service units, a large number of casualties have been detected in this area. Please proceed immediately to the disaster site to conduct search-and-rescue operations and prepare for casualty reception and treatment."

As the forward joint command post issued the order, Fu Lei, a member of the Chinese directing team, closely monitored the command screen and assessed the situation in real time.

The joint search-and-rescue team arrived at the disaster site equipped with drones, robot dogs, and other specialized equipment. Participant Tu Long used data relayed by the unmanned equipment to pinpoint the locations of the injured and advanced with a mixed Chinese-Lao search-and-rescue squad to carry out the rescue operation.

"Twenty casualties located; one is in critical condition."

The joint search-and-rescue and medical teams worked closely together to manage the influx of casualties. Unmanned transport vehicles were used for emergency evacuation, while field ambulances and casualty transport vehicles conducted forward reception and transportation.

Medical staff officer Xu Wen and his team members verified handover forms, rapidly registered casualty information, checked vital signs, conducted triage based on injury tags, and organized evacuations in an orderly manner.

Inside the field medical tent, a joint Chinese-Lao team specializing in critical trauma care raced against time to provide emergency care to a casualty who had been trapped under rubble for 26 hours. Other casualties, after receiving stabilization treatment, were evacuated to the medical train.

Notably, the medical train employed a self-developed command and decision-support system for casualty reception and treatment, integrating artificial intelligence large-model technology throughout the process.

The system provided precise and intelligent recommendations for command and dispatch, triage, and treatment plans, enabling end-to-end information management from the initial reception of casualties through to their final treatment.

Serving as a "mobile ICU," the intensive care unit is equipped with 10 electric double-decker lifting hospital beds, as well as mobile ventilators, portable ultrasound machines, and ECG monitors. It can accommodate 21 patients with moderate to severe injuries or illnesses.

"We extended the chain of care from casualty collection points and field medical tents to the medical train's treatment carriages," said Ma Dan, a surgeon. "We focused on practicing the seamless integration of anesthesia, surgery, and intensive care under realistic conditions, gaining valuable experience in how China and Laos might jointly respond to mass-casualty emergencies, such as those caused by natural disasters, in the future."

Wu Jiajia, deputy leader of the "Peace Train" medical team, noted that through the practical training, medical personnel from both sides gained a deeper mutual understanding and further enhanced their coordination and medical support capabilities.

(Source: Xinhua)